


Stepping stones to your heart

by HistoriaGloria



Category: Rusty Quill Gaming (Podcast)
Genre: Angst, Canon Typical Violence, Fluff, Hamid has more fun draconic traits, Let the boy hoard shiny rocks and friends, M/M, Post-Rome, Protectiveness, This really got away from me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-16
Updated: 2020-02-16
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:48:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22746547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HistoriaGloria/pseuds/HistoriaGloria
Summary: Zolf notices Hamid's slightly odd habit of collecting shiny rocks. He decides to quietly help him add to that collection, as Hamid's hoard only grows in size and importance.
Relationships: Hamid Saleh Haroun al-Tahan/Zolf Smith
Comments: 19
Kudos: 163





	Stepping stones to your heart

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kristsune](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kristsune/gifts).



> OHKAY THIS REALLY RAN AWAY WITH ME.  
> I'm sure canon will joss this very soon but I want them to be okay so badly please Alex  
> Also I want more dragony!Hamid because it makes me happy.  
> So, this is self-indulgent but I love it.
> 
> Kristsune, thank you for your constant support! You make my day!
> 
> Also! Massive thanks to KDHeart for podficcing this! I love you!

Hamid has changed.

It’s a bit of a moot point, Zolf thinks really. Of course Hamid has changed. He has changed himself in the year and a half they have been apart, so why wouldn’t Hamid have?

Even if it has only been just over a month for the halfling.

Zolf watches him quietly; watches the way he shuffles and paces around the cell that him and Azu (he thinks that’s the right name?) are in. Despite the way Hamid is different, he knows its him. Oscar isn’t willing to give up protocols and Zolf can understand that.

They’ve been burned before. Oscar especially.

He knows that Hamid and Azu hate the confinement. Hamid tugs at his hair, is sharp and frustrated when conversation is attempted and spends most of his time trying to catch snatches of sleep.

Zolf also knows that Hamid and Azu sleep poorly.

Azu won’t close rest for longer than 2 or 3 hours at a time, as though worried that if she does, Hamid will disappear.

Hamid often wakes crying or screaming for Sasha and Grizzop, his hands shifting between claws and not. Zolf tries not to mention it. He does not know who this ‘Grizzop’ is, but the context he has is enough. He never came back from Rome.

Zolf can’t imagine how much pain Hamid is going through right now. He has had a year and a half to come to terms with the loss of Sasha and the halfling, but Hamid has barely even had days. Adding all that to the pain of losing his sister and Bertie which for them happened so recently… Honestly, the cleric is amazed that Hamid still has so much fight.

Azu has been uncomfortable with all of their usual checks, especially as Wilde does his usual silent stare before leaving. Hamid seems less perturbed but not happy about it. In these last few days, Azu and Zolf have been getting on much better, excitedly discussing Harrison Campbell’s works whilst Hamid looks mildly amused but does not comment.

It’s the sixth day of confinement when Zolf first notices it.

Currently, Azu is asleep, her armour piled up in the corner whilst she rests. Hamid had been curled up with her, but he is pacing again, toying with the sleeves of the new robe he is wearing. Zolf reckons that it’s magical, considering the way it has dulled under the anti-magic wards.

Honestly, Hamid looks duller under the wards. His hair is flat and greasy, his skin sallow and Zolf wonders if he has been eating enough, which is definitely concerning for Hamid. From the bits and pieces he has managed to glean from them, Rome had been viciously difficult. Hamid is carrying that throughout his whole being.

Zolf pretends to be reading, book in his hands but really, he’s watching Hamid pace. He’s frustrated, hunched and trembling, so clear from his very silhouette. Suddenly, Hamid stops, staring down at a small rock on the floor, illuminated by small amount of torch light. He pauses, leaning down to pick it up, running his fingertips over it. It’s something or nothing, a little stone from the roughly hewn floor. But it’s fairly smooth and Hamid pauses, rubbing his fingers over the curve of its edge. It appears to be oddly calming to him as he holds the pebble up to the light. Hamid just stares at it for a long moment, his eyes dark and wet. He’s silently crying, has been this whole time.

“Hamid?” Zolf asks quietly and the halfling jumps, turning to him. “Are you okay?” He stops, looking back over at Zolf. Opening his mouth, he blinks, but no sound comes out. Hamid just sags and slumps to the floor, trembling ever so slightly.

“I’m sorry,” Zolf says, watching as the halfling sniffles. He wants to hug him so badly, but he knows the protocol. He can’t.

“I just… I want Sasha back,” Hamid sobs. “I want Sasha and Grizzop back and I want Aziza to be alive.” He is clenching his fist around this stone, shoulders shaking. Zolf moves, coming to sit awkwardly in front of the bars. His mechanical legs make things like this difficult, but he doesn’t want Hamid to feel like he is looming over him.

“I know. And I’m sorry,” Zolf repeats himself, somewhat unsure of what else to say. “Look, I’ve had months to come to terms with losing you and Sasha and you’ve barely had days. Don’t be so hard on yourself about being upset.”

“I, just… I know Azu blames herself,” Hamid sniffles, rubbing at his eyes. “She blames herself for letting go of Grizzop and it wasn’t her fault, but I don’t want to upset her more.” Zolf watches as the halfling curls himself up into a ball, fist still tight around the rock he has found. They’re both quiet for a long moment, Zolf mulling over what to say.

“I’m sorry for leaving you in Prague,” he mutters finally. “I keep thinking about it over this last year and I shouldn’t have gone. You deserved better than that. Maybe things would have gone differently in Rome.”

“I don’t blame you for leaving,” Hamid says. “I don’t. And maybe things would have been different, but maybe they wouldn’t have. ‘What if’s’ are useless, right?” There’s a lilt to his voice, almost a smile. And Zolf chuckles slightly in response. “I missed you though.”

“I missed you too,” the cleric replies instantly, without a second thought. Hamid manages a weak smile, wiping his nose. Zolf watches as Hamid rubs his thumb slowly over this rock. It is apparently calming for him and Zolf doesn’t want to take that from him.

“Things have changed,” Hamid says, and it almost sounds more like a question than a statement. Zolf nods.

“It’s been a long time for me. And the world is very different.” Hamid sniffles quietly, nodding and shuffles closer to the bars, still looking down the rock that he has found. It’s somewhat glittery, in the way that mundane rocks are with little pieces of sand in them. The halfling just shifts it back and forth under the light, slowly watching the way it catches.

And they just sit silently together, peaceful in a small way.

* * *

The next time Zolf notices it, they are in storerooms of the Shoin Institute. Hamid’s dancing lights are slowly rotating around the room, lighting everything up and they’re all rifling through these boxes. Zolf glances over from looking through one full of onions to see that Hamid is pawing through the box of rocks.

He seems to be holding them up, staring at them and then returning them to the box. As Zolf watches, Hamid picks up an especially glittery piece of what appears to be pyrite and puts it into his bag of holding.

“Found something useful?” he asks and Hamid _jumps._ He looks up guiltily and shakes his head.

“No, Cel said it was just chemicals and stuff.” Zolf frowns, but he doesn’t push it. Hamid looks so uncomfortable at being caught that he lets it slide.

For now.

He corners Hamid about it a little later.

“What was up with that rock?” he hisses as they head up the stairs, voice low so Azu and Cel don’t hear him. And it’s just light enough for Zolf to make out the colouring of Hamid’s cheeks.

“Nothing!” Hamid hisses right back. “It was just… it was shiny.” Like that somehow explains his weird behaviour.

“It was shiny?” Zolf echoes. Hamid curls in on himself slightly and gives a weak nod.

“It was shiny, and it caught the light in a lovely way and, well, Cel said it wasn’t important.” Zolf is starting to put a few things together. He had seen Hamid extracting large lumps of adamantine from his bag of holding before, but in that bag, Hamid had also removed small, well-polished rocks.

“So, you just took it because you liked it?” He is trying not smile now, amused by the slight hoarding. Hamid nods, huffing a little. “Alright, that’s fine. Honestly, Hamid, I was worried you had found something out.” The halfling shakes his head, clearly embarrassed at being found to be doing something so illogical.

“Just, don’t tell the others,” he mutters sheepishly, toying with the cuffs of his sleeves.

“It’s fine, I won’t.” And with that, Zolf heads on, higher up into the Institute.

* * *

They only just make it out.

By the time that Shoin is dead, his dread creations destroyed, Zolf is exhausted, out of spells and fight alike. Hamid is lying flat on his back in the middle of this large room, but the cleric can see his chest rising and falling.

“Everyone alright?” Zolf calls and gets three groans in response. Azu limps over to Hamid as Cel, still in their monstrous form, flaps down from the walkway, followed by Skraak.

“Shoin was not fun,” mutters the alchemist and their voice is more rage filled than Zolf has heard before. Azu is holding Hamid now and the halfling has curled into her chest, shuddering.

“We need to rest here,” Azu says quietly as they gather back up. “We’re not going to make it back like this.” Zolf nods, shoving detritus and machinery away from them with his glaive to make a space for them to rest.

“I’ll take first watch,” Cel offers, sitting cross-legged on the floor, their bat-like wings folding up. “I’ve got a little while before this is up.”

“Wake me in a few hours,” Hamid croaks out from his spot against Azu’s armour. Zolf won’t admit to the rush of relief that he feels upon hearing the halfling’s voice. Skraak gives a quiet sound as they move to settle down beside Azu and so Zolf clanks over to the orc’s other side, flopping down quickly.

“Get some rest,” Zolf grunts but he can already hear the soft wheezes of Hamid’s snores. Azu nods roughly, her eyes already closing. And moments later, the cleric dozes off himself.

Zolf jolts sharply back into consciousness, a few hours later, his breathing coming quickly as he tries not to panic. Nightmares aren’t exactly uncommon for any of them, but he doesn’t want to disturb the others. Beside him, Azu snuffles, but doesn’t wake up. Cel is curled up over Azu’s legs, the tip of their good ear fluttering in their sleep. Skraak is curled between them and Hamid…

Hamid is sat a few feet away. He is holding a lit torch in one hand and is quietly looking through his bag of holding. As Zolf lies there, forcing his breathing back level, Hamid pauses, glancing around, clearly on guard. Everything around them is quiet. Then, the halfling draws the piece of pyrite out of the bag, the one that he had found early and holds it up to the torch light. Zolf remains quiet, still, as Hamid turns the rock over in his hands, making a quiet trilling sound in the back of his throat.

And Zolf smiles.

He just watches, half dozing back off again, as the sorcerer continues to take out shiny and smooth rocks from his bag of holding and inspect them, always making that happy little sound.

Apparently, a few of Hamid’s draconic traits aren’t just in his appearance.

He would never admit it, but Zolf thinks it’s rather adorable.

* * *

The debrief from Wilde is uninteresting but necessary. As soon as it’s done, they split up, to rest and clean up. Zolf washes and then decides to take a walk around the areas of the village, just to clear his head.

It’s nice to see greenery again after that time in the Institute.

As he wanders, glaive strapped to his back, Zolf thinks.

He’s so glad that Hamid is safe, is back with him. He likes Azu too; she seems dependable and kind. And Cel might just be the right amount of crazy to make this all work. He hopes that they will be willing to come with them when there is more to be done elsewhere.

It’s nice to have a competent team again. He really didn’t trust Carter and honestly, it’s nice to know that the others will have his back.

They’re not a perfect unit. It’s clear that Hamid and Azu are compensating for people who aren’t there. It’s in the way that he stands to the left, accommodating for an archer who will never shoot from behind him, or the way that she runs head on to engage an enemy to allow for a sneak attack which can never happen.

But Zolf can understand that issue. They’ll fit into each other’s gaps eventually. Until then, they just have to be more careful.

Beneath his metal foot, there is a clang as he kicks a small stone by accident, sending it skittering across the path in front of him.

It’s a nice pebble, well-rounded and flecked with small pieces of crystal. Zolf pauses, looking down at it and thinks of Hamid, of the small collection, no, small _hoard_ of rocks that the halfling has collected in his bag of holding.

And he picks up the stone.

He hopes Hamid will like it.

Zolf finds the halfling toying between outfits just before dinner, slipping on and off his Sleeves of Many Garments, as he changes suits.

“Ahem,” Zolf says, poking his head in the doorway and Hamid looks up, dressed in an almost casual outfit for him. A plain suit in a deep forest green, but that is all.

“Oh, hey, Zolf,” Hamid brushes himself down. “Does this look okay?”

Zolf just nods, not trusting himself to speak without saying something stupid about how honestly striking Hamid looks in anything at all. The halfling gives him a smile in response, bright and almost back to how Zolf had held Hamid in his imagination. Almost carefree.

“Thanks! Did you want something?”

“Oh, um, I…” Zolf stutters before inhaling quickly. Honestly, he’s gotten so much better that the whole ‘people thing’ more recently. Apparently not perfect. He thrusts out a hand, offering the pebble to the halfling. “For you.”

Hamid takes the stone and a small smile crosses his face.

“For me?” he says, shifting to hold it up to the warm daylight streaming in from the window. In the rich colours, the stone glitters and shines and Hamid _trills._

It appears to be almost involuntary, a soft pleased sound in the back of his throat as he inspects the pebble. He is smiling so softly now, a sense of contentment.

There are butterflies in Zolf’s stomach and his heart is pounding in his chest because how has he not noticed that Hamid is _stunning_?

He is somehow absolutely adorable and beautiful at the same time, his eyes warm and gentle as he turns to look up at Zolf.

“It’s, um, it’s nothing. I just found it on the floor and well, I thought it was nice and,” Zolf babbles, as Hamid’s smile spreads. He steps forward, up on to his tiptoes and presses a kiss to Zolf’s cheek.

“Thank you, Zolf,” he murmurs. “I like it.”

“I just thought, well, um, it’s shiny and you like the shiny rocks,” the cleric manages to say, knowing that his cheeks are bright red at this point.

“Yeah,” Hamid says sheepishly, rubbing his thumb over the rock. “I think it might be part of my, um, ancestry?”

“You’re hoarding,” Zolf nods, having worked it out. “It’s cute.” It’s Hamid’s turn to flush, ducking his head. He moves to carefully place the stone inside of his bag of holding before looking up at Zolf.

“Thank you, again,” he says. “Shall we go to dinner?” Without even waiting for a response, he heads out of the door, leaving the cleric to stumble, slightly flustered after him.

* * *

Zolf continues to bring Hamid shiny rocks for his hoard. He ventures into town, finds a terrible tourist place and buys any polished gemstones they have.

Hamid coos over those later that day, excited by the different colours that can be seen streaking through them.

LOLOMG head back out, to deal with the Simulacrum issues, but Zolf doesn’t stop looking for shiny rocks. And every night on their travels, when he thinks no one is watching, Hamid takes the stones out of the bag of holding and compares them. Surveys his hoard. And Zolf, aware of this, notices that Hamid always lingers over the ones that he gives him.

They’re sat in some backwater inn tonight, drinking lousy whiskey which burns all the way down Zolf’s throat, but they’re together and safe and that’s what matters. Azu is drinking the whiskey like its water whilst Cel chatters her ear off, talking about some chemical compound they had created. Zolf is stood by the bar, ordering another round as Hamid sits with Cel and Azu, eyes molten in the low light.

They are family.

The thought hits Zolf like a sledgehammer as he watches the others, but he can’t think anything else. He’s known Hamid, _loved Hamid_ for so long that the thought of caring about him doesn’t surprise him. But Azu and Cel have wormed their way deep into Zolf’s heart in such an important way.

Zolf heads back over, handing out the drinks with a smile and he can’t help but feel so content as his family rapidly drag him back into whatever conversation they were having.

* * *

Zolf only realises how deep Hamid’s affection goes when things go wrong. He only realises that family goes both ways when things go terribly wrong.

The creature is more mechanisms than organics and it has him pinned, a claw like hand around his throat.

Cel is down, their pale hair matted with blood and Azu is desperately trying to get them back up. Hamid is stood away from the creature and Zolf is beginning to suffocate. If this is where it ends, he only hopes that the rest of their family manage to escape. That’s what he cares about.

“ ** _NO!_** _”_

It’s less of a shout and more of a roar. Out of the corner of his eye, Zolf sees Hamid.

And Hamid looks _furious._

 _“ **That’s my hoard,** ” _he snarls, his voice booming and vicious. There is no way a voice of that magnitude should be able to exude from Hamid’s tiny 3’2 form. Both of the halfling’s hands are outstretched, clawed and his face is longer, sharper, draconic as fire leaps from his palms, slamming into the mechanical beast.

It roars, dropping Zolf who barely has time to scramble back before Hamid opens his mouth and breathes literal flame over the creature.

Zolf’s jaw drops.

He watches as the dragon fire, superheated, melts the mechanical parts of this thing, leaving it squealing out its last as Hamid steps back. His eyes are molten gold, slit-pupiled, and his skin is scaled and brassy. All Zolf can do is gawp as the creature goes still, the fire consuming it completely. He hears Cel and Azu’s wordless exclamations, but he just looks from Hamid to the thing and back again.

The halfling huffs, flame flickering from his mouth and the cleric stumbles over to him.

“I…” Zolf begins to say, but what do you say to that? Hamid turns to him and softens immediately.

“Zolf, are you hurt?” his voice is soft, squeaky once more and Zolf shakes his head, glancing over at Azu and Cel who appear to be picking themselves up.

“No, I’m fine, Hamid, are you okay?” Zolf says, his eyes wide. Hamid flushes, his cheeks turning brassy.

“I… I lost my temper a little,” he admits.

“A little?!” Cel yelps, stumbling over excitedly. “Little buddy, you practically turned into a dragon!” Hamid looks sheepish at that and Zolf gives a wry smile.

“You also referred to us as your hoard,” Azu points out, but she is grinning a little.

“Well, um, you’re like my family, right? And I care about you a lot.” The halfling is smiling up at them all so sincerely.

Zolf’s heart is going wild in his chest.

“I mean, that was the coolest thing you’ve ever done, and you’ve done some pretty cool things,” Cel starts. “Like that thing with the fireball, or the flying or-”

“How about we get out of here and talk about it?” Zolf suggests gruffly. He doesn’t want to deal with anything else getting up to fight them and he is finding it hard to think over the rush of affection he has for the sorcerer right now.

“Oh, good idea!” Cel chirps as they all gather back up, to stumble out together.

* * *

Zolf catches Hamid in his usual check over his hoard of shiny stones that night. Azu and Cel had passed out within moments of them making camp and it’s just the two of them sat around the embers of a fire.

“We’re your family and hoard, huh?” Zolf asks quietly and Hamid jumps, clutching at a shard of quartz that the cleric had brought him a couple of weeks ago.

“Zolf! I thought you… Never mind.” He looks up at him, his eyes a rich brown once more. “Yes. You’re my family. And um, as for hoard, I know that might be a bit weird…”

“Nah, it’s fine,” Zolf grunts, shuffling over to sit next to him. “It’s something you care about protecting, right?” Hamid nods, leaning against him ever so slightly.

“Yes. And I care about you,” Hamid says quietly. “When that thing had its claws around you, Zolf, I was so worried. I just, I knew I couldn’t lose you again.” Slowly, the cleric lets his head rest atop the other’s.

“Thank you. For saving me.”

“I would do it again, in a heartbeat,” Hamid says quickly and he has tilted his head away slightly so he can look up at Zolf, thumb rubbing nervously over the piece of quartz in his hand.

“I know,” he replies. “And I would do the same for you.” They are both quiet for a long moment. Then…

“Zolf, may I kiss you?” Hamid’s voice is barely audible, and Zolf can feel the blood rush to his face instantly.

But he nods.

And Hamid leans in.

Zolf is not necessarily a good kisser. In fact, he’s barely kissed anyone at all, but even the shy, cautious brush of their lips is enough to set his heart pounding in his heart. Beside them, there is a soft thump as the rock in Hamid’s hand slips to the floor as he leans forward again, to kiss him once more.

And Zolf thinks that he could get used to this.

Hamid leans back and Zolf leans forward to press their foreheads together, letting their breaths mingle.

“Been wanting to do that since you brought me that first pebble,” Hamid admits and Zolf laughs.

“Better make up for lost time then,” he mumbles and their lips meet again.

And they’re happy. Safe. Together.

**Author's Note:**

> Come poke me on twitter or tumblr - HistoriaGloria.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Stepping stones to your heart [podfic]](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28820052) by [KD reads (KDHeart)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KDHeart/pseuds/KD%20reads)




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